Gearchange Assist

[Beagle]

Could never get the hang of this and still clunked when I tried it so gave up. Today howevever after the mileage getting to 1500, I finally mastered clutchless downshifts. Thanks to this forum I tried shutting the throttle and pressing the gearlever without clutch. To my suprise the engine revved itself and the changedown was smooth. Upshifts remain a challenge. I'm sure the handbook says keep the throttle open but it still clunks.

[guest2360]

On the downchange the throttle should be totally shut. Don’t use it go get into first though, use the lever.On the upchange anything from just above neutral pulling to a full handfull will do but again not out of first. All very clear the the handbook. In fact I never used in going up 1 to 3 or going down below 3.  Then it’s always smooth.

[Beagle]

Thanks for that RTman10.




Sorry didn't  quite understand this "pull to s hsnd full"




Manual says hold throttle steady when upshifting but seems to crunch too much for me.

[guest2360]

Thanks for that RTman10.




Sorry didn't  quite understand this "pull to s hsnd full"

Amended to make a little more sense, hopefully. 


Manual says hold throttle steady when upshifting but seems to crunch too much for me.

[guest2360]

The bike must be pulling on the upchange.  If you hold the throttle still or the engine overruns it will clunk or refuse to change.  Some find changing up at higher revs makes it smooth but you must be pulling.

[Beagle]

The bike must be pulling on the upchange.  If you hold the throttle still or the engine overruns it will clunk or refuse to change.  Some find changing up at higher revs makes it smooth but you must be pulling.

Ah! Right. Thats what I'm doing wrong, holding throttle steady. Will try that , cheers.


:kacsint2:

[David.]

The smoothest gear changes are obtained using the clutch.

[Beagle]

The smoothest gear changes are obtained using the clutch.

Having tried the downshift today, the engine revs a split second before changing down and I thing the process is quicker than me and is smooth. Its all a matter of choice I think.

[Old-Git]

I only use gearchange assist in 4 5 and 6 gears, and only when I'm "making progress" - that's when it works best for me.

[Beagle]

Thanks for your input guys, its been very helpful.

[Levisp]

Like others have said the best changes are going up 3-4-5-6 and going down the same. I always use clutch for 1 -2 -3.  If you are still trying to get to grips with it practise shifting between 5 - 6. This should be really smooth and is the easiest to achieve. To shift up the bike does need positive acceleration. If you are cruising and try to shift up it won't work. The acceleration does not have to balls out, just need the engine under load. If the revs are increasing, shift up and avoid the temptation to back off the throttle. Down shifting is slightly easier. Closed throttle. I found that downshifting works best when you have a good deceleration rate. Again if the revs are not dropping then it won't work. Down shifting does require a positive prod on the gear lever at first feels very wrong but when you get the technique it does work very well. Have fun.

[Beagle]

Like others have said the best changes are going up 3-4-5-6 and going down the same. I always use clutch for 1 -2 -3.  If you are still trying to get to grips with it practise shifting between 5 - 6. This should be really smooth and is the easiest to achieve. To shift up the bike does need positive acceleration. If you are cruising and try to shift up it won't work. The acceleration does not have to balls out, just need the engine under load. If the revs are increasing, shift up and avoid the temptation to back off the throttle. Down shifting is slightly easier. Closed throttle. I found that downshifting works best when you have a good deceleration rate. Again if the revs are not dropping then it won't work. Down shifting does require a positive prod on the gear lever at first feels very wrong but when you get the technique it does work very well. Have fun.

:kacsint2:

[michaelc2710]

Having tried the downshift today, the engine revs a split second before changing down and I thing the process is quicker than me and is smooth. Its all a matter of choice I think.

Unfortunately David this isn't the case on a bike with gear shift [size=2px]assist,    Some people are sometimes to soft on the gear change due to not using the clutch BUT you do have to be positive with it. The easiest way to explain it is,  get out of first gear or second if you [/size]prefer[size=2px] then open up the throttle and just bang up through the gears, close the throttle and just bang down the gears to 2nd. You will find the gearbox will just get better and better.  [/size][size=78%]  [/size]
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[Lucky]

I know this is an old topic but am I alone in thinking that Gear Shift Assist is a poor solution to a problem that never existed.


I've had it on two R1200s (most recent was a 2017) and found it a huge disappointment. Yes I can work around its foibles but as often as not it's simply easier and smoother to use the clutch.


Suffice to say I opted out of it on my 1250.

[Casbar]

I actually like it. It was clunky on my 2014, you could only use it above 3rd gear going up. But on my 1250 it is really good, really smooth. So guess I am the exception. I never use it from 1st though. Its also very good coming down the box. I use a combination of clutch and pro shift depending on the circumstances